Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and the Norwegian Armed Forces have transported more than 3,500 wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians to hospitals across Europe under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
Operational Overview
180+ Medevac missions conducted since 2022
Near-weekly flights over four years
Boeing 737 specially converted into a flying hospital
18 hospital beds (including 3 ICU units)
39 additional seats for medical teams and patients
SAS crews operate alongside the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services in a long-standing civil–military partnership spanning more than 25 years. The missions require complex cross-border coordination and high operational precision.
Strategic Significance
The Medevac program:
Relieves pressure on Ukraine’s healthcare system
Strengthens European emergency preparedness
Serves as a model for public–private defense cooperation
Brigadier General Petter Iversen, Surgeon General of the Norwegian Armed Forces, highlighted the operation as a unique example of total defence collaboration between public and private sectors.
Recognition and Continuity
In 2025, 24 SAS employees received the Norwegian Armed Forces’ Medal for International Service for their contributions.
As the war enters its fifth year, SAS has extended its agreement with the Norwegian Armed Forces, confirming continued support for the Medevac mission.
Key figures:
3,500+ patients transported
180+ missions
Ongoing near-weekly operations since 2022
Operated under EU Civil Protection Mechanism framework